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Mutually Exclusive Transcription of Subtelomeric Gene Families in Plasmodium falciparum is Restricted to var Genes

ABSTRACT: The P. falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. The members of these gene families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains of the genome and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var gene family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Transcriptional regulation of other subtelomeric gene families and their role in parasite biology is much less understood. Here, we investigated the mode of transcriptional control of var, rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm families by comparative genome-wide transcriptional profiling of transgenic parasite lines. Our results establish a clear functional distinction between var and non-var transcriptional control mechanisms. Unlike var promoters, we find that promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default. Moreover, we show that mutually exclusive transcription is unique to the var gene family.

ORGANISM(S): Plasmodium falciparum

PROVIDER: GSE31829 | GEO | 2011/09/02

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA145129

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Mutually Exclusive Transcription of Subtelomeric Gene Families in Plasmodium falciparum is Restricted to var Genes

Project description:The P. falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. The members of these gene families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains of the genome and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var gene family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Transcriptional regulation of other subtelomeric gene families and their role in parasite biology is much less understood. Here, we investigated the mode of transcriptional control of var, rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm families by comparative genome-wide transcriptional profiling of transgenic parasite lines. Our results establish a clear functional distinction between var and non-var transcriptional control mechanisms. Unlike var promoters, we find that promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default. Moreover, we show that mutually exclusive transcription is unique to the var gene family. 3D7 wild-type parasites were transfected with constructs carrying eight different promoters that drive expression of the drug-selectable marker hdhfr-gfp. Thereof seven promoters are members of the multigene families upsA var, upsB var, upsC var, rif, stevor, phistb and pfmc-2tm. The cam promoter was used as transfection-based control and also a wild-type 3D7 cell line was included as control. These nine cell lines were subjected to genome-wide transcriptional profiling. Parasites were synchronized to obtain an 8 hour growth window and were harvested at four consecutive timepoints (TP): TP1 (6-14 hours post-invasion (hpi)); TP2 (14-22 hpi); TP3 (22-30 hpi); TP4 (30-38 hpi) to monitor intra- and inter-family specific linkage of multigene family expression.

2011-09-01 | E-GEOD-31829 | biostudies-arrayexpress

P. falciparum Heterochromatin Protein 1 Marks Genomic Loci Linked to Phenotypic Variation of Exported Virulence Factors

Project description:Epigenetic processes are the main conductors of phenotypic variation in eukaryotes. The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum employs antigenic variation of the major surface antigen PfEMP1, encoded by 60 var genes, to evade acquired immune responses. PfEMP1 also mediates sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the microvasculature, which is directly linked to severe malaria outcomes. Antigenic variation of PfEMP1 occurs through in situ switches in mono-allelic var gene transcription, which is PfSIR2-dependent and associated with the presence of repressive H3K9me3 marks at silenced loci. Here, we show that the P. falciparum ortholog of heterochromatin protein 1 (PfHP1) binds to H3K9me3 and constitutes a major component of heterochromatin in perinuclear chromosome end clusters. High-resolution genome-wide chromatin immuno-precipitation demonstrates the striking association of PfHP1 with non-syntenic virulence gene arrays in subtelomeric and chromosome-internal islands. These include not only var genes but the majority of P. falciparum lineage-specific gene families coding for exported proteins involved in host-parasite interactions. Over-expression of PfHP1 resulted in decreased expression of a small number of (virulance) genes and indicated the presence of well-defined heterochromatic boundaries.. In summary, we uncover an unprecedented function of HP1 as a mayor regulator of virulence gene silencing and phenotypic variation, which will be instrumental for our understanding of this widely used survival strategy of unicellular pathogens. one experimental sample

2010-05-06 | E-GEOD-17029 | biostudies-arrayexpress

Plasmodium falciparum Heterochromatin Protein 1 Marks Genomic Loci Linked to Phenotypic Variation of Exported Virulence Factors

2009-09-03 | GSE17029 | GEO

A system for functional studies of the major virulence factor of malaria parasites

Project description:The major virulence factor of Plasmodium falciparum parasites, PfEMP1 is expressed by a multigene family, termed var genes. Here selection linked integration (SLI) was utilized to modify var genes in P. falciparum parasites to select for parasite populations expressing a single var gene. Bulk RNA was isolated from ring stage parasites of these SLI parasite populations and analyzed with next generation sequencing. The proportion of exon 2 transcripts of var genes normalized to transcripts per million was determined per cell line to confirm the predominant expression of the desired var gene.

2024-06-14 | GSE267413 | GEO

Expression data of gene knockout Plasmodium falciparum clones

2013-05-25 | GSE47349 | GEO

Expression data of gene knockout Plasmodium falciparum clones

Project description:The variant antigen, Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), expressed on the surface of P. falciparum infected Red Blood Cells (iRBCs) is a critical virulence factor for malaria. Each parasite encodes 60 antigenically distinct var genes encoding PfEMP1s, but during infection the clonal parasite population expresses only one gene at a time before switching to the expression of a new variant antigen as an immune evasion mechanism to avoid the hostM-bM-^@M-^Ys antibody responses. The mechanism by which 59 of the 60 var genes are silenced remains largely unknown. We used microarrays to detail the global programme changes of gene expression caused by each gene knockout with a particular view towards which gene knockout results in transcriptional upregulation of the entire var gene family. Plasmodium falciparum clones, in each of which one of different histone lysine methylation modification enzyme genes was knocked out, were synchronized in the asexual stage and collected at indicated time points post invasion of erythrocytes for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. We sought to identify the key epigenetic enzyme that controls silencing of the whole var gene family.

2013-05-25 | E-GEOD-47349 | biostudies-arrayexpress

The Plasmodium falciparum histone methyltransferase PfSET10 is dispensable for the regulation of antigenic variation and gene expression in blood stage parasites

Project description:The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum employs antigenic variation of the virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) to escape adaptive immune responses during blood infection. Antigenic variation of PfEMP1 occurs through transcriptional switches in the mutually exclusive expression of individual members of the multi-copy var gene family. var genes are located in perinuclear clusters of transcriptionally inactive heterochromatin. Singular var gene activation is linked to locus repositioning into a dedicated zone at the nuclear periphery and deposition of histone 3 lysine 4 di-/trimethylation (H3K4me2/3) and H3K9 acetylation marks in the promoter region. While previous work identified the putative H3K4-specific methyltransferase PfSET10 as an essential enzyme and positive regulator of var gene expression, a recent study reported conflicting data. Here, we used iterative genome editing to engineer a conditional PfSET10 knockout line tailored to study the function of PfSET10 in var gene regulation. We demonstrate that PfSET10 is not required for mutually exclusive var gene expression and switching. We also show that PfSET10 is dispensable not only for asexual parasite proliferation but also for sexual conversion and differentiation of gametocytes. Furthermore, comparative RNA-seq experiments revealed that PfSET10 plays no obvious role in regulating gene expression during asexual parasite development and gametocytogenesis. Interestingly, however, PfSET10 shows different subnuclear localization patterns in asexual and sexual stage parasites and female-specific expression in mature gametocytes. In summary, our work confirms in detail that PfSET10 is not involved in regulating var gene expression and is not required for blood stage parasite viability, at least not when cultured in vitro, thus suggesting PfSET10 may be important for life cycle progression in the mosquito vector or during liver stage development.

2024-06-26 | GSE270631 | GEO

Plasmodium falciparum MORC protein modulates gene expression through interaction with heterochromatin

Project description:Dynamic control of gene expression is critical for blood stage development of malaria parasites. Here, we used multi-omic analyses to investigate transcriptional regulation by the chromatin-associated microrchidia protein, MORC, during asexual blood stage development of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PfMORC (PF3D7_1468100) interacts with a suite of nuclear proteins, including APETALA2 (AP2) transcription factors (PfAP2-G5, PfAP2-O5, PfAP2-I, PF3D7_0420300, PF3D7_0613800, PF3D7_1107800 , and PF3D7_1239200), a DNA helicase DS60 (PF3D7_1227100), and other chromatin remodelers (PfCHD1, PfEELM2, and PfISWI). Transcriptomic analysis of PfMORCHA-glmS knockdown parasites revealed 163 differentially expressed genes belonging to hypervariable multigene families, along with upregulation of genes mostly involved in host cell invasion. In vivo genome-wide chromatin occupancy analysis during both trophozoite and schizont stages of development demonstrates that PfMORC is recruited to repressed, multigene families, including the var genes in subtelomeric chromosomal regions. Collectively, we find that PfMORC is found in chromatin complexes that play a role in the epigenetic control of asexual blood stage transcriptional regulation.

2024-08-14 | PXD044256 | Pride

A system for functional studies of the major virulence factor of malaria parasites [WGS]

Project description:PfEMP1 is a variable antigen displayed on red blood cells (RBCs) infected with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PfEMP1 mediates binding of the infected cell to the endothelium of blood vessels, a major cause of severe manifestations of malaria. Each parasite encodes ∼60 different PfEMP1 variants of which only one is expressed at a time and switching between variants underlies immune evasion in the host and variant-specific severity of disease. PfEMP1 expression heterogeneity between parasites complicates its study and hampers genetic modification approaches as in many cells the modified locus is not expressed. Here we used selection linked integration to generate parasites all expressing the same PfEMP1 variant and permitting genomic modification of the expressed locus. Using this system, we study PfEMP1 trafficking, generate cell lines binding to all major endothelial receptors, survey the protein environment from functional PfEMP1 in the host cell and identify new proteins needed for PfEMP1 mediated sequestration. Overall, these approaches facilitate the study of the molecular and cellular biology of the key virulence factor of malaria parasites.

2024-09-01 | GSE275671 | GEO

PfSET2 is involved in genome organization of var gene family in Plasmodium falciparum [HiC]

Project description:The three-dimensional (3D) genome structure of human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is highly organized and plays important roles in regulating coordinated expression patterns of specific genes such as virulence genes which are involved in antigenic variation and immune escape. However, the molecular mechanisms that control 3D genome of the parasite remain elusive. Here by analyzing genome organization in P. falciparum, we identify high-interacting regions (HIRs) with strong chromatin interactions telomeres and virulence genes loci. Specifically, HIRs are highly enriched with repressive histone marks (H3K36me3 and H3K9me3) and form the transcriptional repressive center. Deletion of PfSETvs, which controls H3K36me3 level, results in marked reduction of both intra-chromosomal and inter-chromosomal interactions for HIRs. Importantly, such chromatin reorganization coordinates with dymamic changes in epigenetic feature in HIRs and specifically activation of var genes. Our results uncover a fundamental mechanism that the epigenetic factor PfSETvs controls the 3D organization of heterochromatin in regulating the transcription activities of var genes family in P. falciparum.

2022-12-16 | GSE169028 | GEO

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